GoPro: 15 Things You Didn’t Know (Part 1)

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GoPro has changed the video industry with its incredibly high resolution, easy to carry action cameras. How much do you know about the revolutionary camera manufacturer? Keep reading, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!

Number Fifteen: GoPro’s Surf Origins

The company was founded by Nick Woodman in 2002, in a VW bus! Woodman travelled all the way from California to Australia on a five-month surf trip hoping to capture some quality pictures of his surfing. Woodman established his camera company there, which he sustained by selling beads and shell belts to other surfers at the beach.

Number Fourteen: The Stolen ‘Office’

Woodman, who struggled with money for a while until his business took off, used his 1971 Volkswagen bus as his home and office. He even christened it: ‘the biscuit’. His company went through a gravely undermining episode when his beloved VR got stolen after his first deal in 2004.

Number Thirteen: It’s VERY Resistant

Perhaps what sets GoPro apart from other action camera companies out there is how resilient its products are. Impact, shock and waterproof, there are thousands of videos out there of GoPro cameras surviving incredible falls. Like this one; the GoPro camera used to shoot the aerial video was dropped at 12,500 ft tall by a skydiver and remained intact.

Number Twelve: It Originally Came in 35mm Film

The company sold its first camera in 2004, which used 35mm film. Digital cameras were already used by most other companies, but Woodman didn’t introduce it into GoPro at first. The original camera included a transparent underwater case and a wrist strap.

Number Eleven: 3D Cameras

GoPro offers the possibility to shoot 3D images and videos. However, two cameras are needed for this process. It’s one of the first and few commercial camera companies that allow for this possibility.

Number Ten: GoPro’s Cinematic Legacy

Filmmakers quickly realized GoPro’s commercial potential, which allows them to film HD footage without a huge equipment investment. Independent and documentary filmmakers, in particular, rely on GoPro quite often to film footage. Some of the productions shot, or partially shot with a GoPro, include Breaking Bad, End of Watch, Worm, Rush, Gravity, Need for Speed, Captain Phillips, The Martian and Afflicted.

Number Nine: Your Dog Can Be a Filmmaker

GoPro has a product aimed specifically at dogs. ‘Fetch’ is a canine harness with different mounting locations, depending on the angle you (or your dog) want to shoot from. It’s waterproof and totally adjustable!

Number Eight: GoPro Has Been Sued by Polaroid

Polaroid released a very, very little Cube Camera in 2014 that shoots HD video. The manufacturers behind Polaroid’s product weren’t happy to find out GoPro’s new product, the Hero 4 Session, looks strikingly similar to their concept. GoPro was sued in November 2015 over infringement on a patented design. We still don’t know how it all will turn out. Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!